Indirock Wins National Lottery Funding to Keep Supporting Vulnerable Young People

We’re stoked to share that Indirock, in partnership with The Design Cabin Community CIC, has been awarded a £19,200 grant from The National Lottery Community Fund! 🎉

This funding means we can launch the next phase of our Springboard into Work programme — giving even more vulnerable young people in Southend and Rochford the chance to gain real-world work experience, build confidence, and take steps toward employment.

If you’ve been following our journey, you’ll know this programme is something we care deeply about. Since we started, we’ve supported over 90 young people through more than 700 hours of work experience here at Indirock — from helping in the coffee shop to working on the climbing wall, all with guidance and mentoring from our team.

The new phase will run from July 2025 to December 2026, and expands the programme to include opportunities through The Design Cabin’s brilliant community spaces too — including the Big Up Southend markets and The Freight House in Rochford.

We work with young people aged 14–25, many of whom face extra challenges in accessing work — such as SEND, mental health difficulties, or being in alternative education. This programme gives them the chance to gain hands-on experience, training in things like food hygiene and health & safety, and one-to-one mentoring to support their job search.

💬 Here’s what James Edmunds from The Design Cabin Community CIC had to say:

“This funding from The National Lottery Community Fund marks a significant step forward in our mission to create inclusive, real-world opportunities for young people in Southend and Rochford.

At The Design Cabin Community C.I.C., we believe that work experience should be accessible to everyone — especially those who face additional barriers due to SEND, mental health challenges, or alternative education routes. Through Springboard into Work, we’re offering more than just placements; we’re building confidence, fostering independence, and opening up meaningful pathways into employment.

We’re excited to bring this next phase of the programme to life across our growing network of community spaces — from our Big Up Southend markets to The Freight House in Rochford — and we’re grateful to Indirock for their continued collaboration. Together, we’re creating practical, supportive environments where young people can thrive.”

And from our founder, Emily:

“One of Indirock’s core aims is to support vulnerable young people into work. We’ve seen incredible demand for this programme and are so excited to be able to keep it going — and growing — through this partnership.”

A huge thank you to The National Lottery Community Fund for making this possible. And if you’re a local organisation who wants to refer a young person or get involved, we’d love to hear from you.